Levels of obesity

IBISWorld forecasts the level of obesity in New Zealanders to rise by 1.1 percentage points in 2025-26, to 65.1% of the population. New Zealand maintains high levels of involvement in sports and active leisure, thanks to continuous government programmes that promote both physical exercise and good eating habits. Recent data show that obesity rates, which are among the highest in the OECD, have begun to fall in recent years, particularly among youngsters, as diversified initiatives focus on greater exercise and improved nutrition. However, rising prices and supply challenges have caused slight declines in fruit and vegetable consumption, which may temper future reductions in obesity; nonetheless, a strong negative correlation exists between recreational activity levels and obesity, and sustained efforts in these areas are expected to benefit overall public health.

Although New Zealand's adult obesity rate has grown significantly over time, the rate of growth has slowed over the last decade, with early hints of a plateau developing in recent years. Ongoing national initiatives, such as health promotion programmes, increased access to sports and recreation activities, and the installation of food labelling schemes such as health star ratings, have all contributed to a decrease in obesity rates. Increased image consciousness, particularly among younger persons, has also slowed the rise in obesity rates during the last five years.

While a persistent drop in adult obesity has seldom been documented during the last forty years, there is evidence that the level of obesity may be approaching saturation, and recent interventions have had modest but significant effects. Obesity rates remain high, owing largely to long-term increases in the availability and marketing of unhealthy foods; however, reducing the national obesity burden is a major policy priority, given that obesity-related illnesses now represent the largest health cost burden for the New Zealand healthcare system, surpassing tobacco-related illnesses over the last decade. IBISWorld forecasts the level of obesity in New Zealand to slump at an average annual rate of 0.9 percentage points over the five years through 2025-26.